


Battle Scars

by KikoRush96



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Heel!Dean, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Mentions of Cancer, Post-RAW, Raw - Freeform, Roman has Cancer and it just SUCKS, Sad, Seth has a lot to deal with right now, ThankYouRoman, Trials, poor seth, rolleigns - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-06 19:59:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16394156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KikoRush96/pseuds/KikoRush96
Summary: Roman's announcement hit many people in the business and in the world, but none of them had felt it more than Seth.(Seth deals with the events of RAW)





	Battle Scars

**Author's Note:**

> Roman's announcement on RAW had me absolutely _shocked_. Seth's reaction had me in tears. 
> 
> Wrestling is just so powerful and amazing.
> 
> I hope you enjoy my take on Seth dealing with the whole situation with Roman, not to mention what Dean did. It was just so much to take in, and writing is kind of like my therapy. 
> 
> If there are any errors or things that don't make sense, I apologize. I'm half asleep right now and it's 1 am. I'll try to come back and edit this later on. Anyway, enjoy!

The lights had faded, the roar of the crowds and the stench of stale beer and sweat slowly faded from his senses as he stood alone backstage. People shuffled around him, not really touching him but definitely watching him with pitiful eyes. Not that he cared in that moment.

Besides, he was used to having eyes on him all the time. It was easy to brush off the prickling along his skin and the twisting in his stomach.

The full force of the night hadn't really hit him yet. In their business, events often flew by without much thought or attention, and that night was no different. Seth clenched his fists again, bitter anger slithering through his veins at how unfair it all was, how it wasn't him instead, and he felt the hot prickle of tears behind his eyes once again. He hated crying in public, especially on television and in front of so many people, but sometimes it just couldn't be helped. He wasn't so proud that he couldn't show his true emotions, especially when they were so raw and so intense.

Something clattered to the ground loudly behind him but he hardly even noticed, turning his body almost as if in slow motion to glance briefly at the mess some tech guy had made, other techies coming to his aid as Seth just watched, numb to everything around him. There was no room in his body for anything other than the utter sadness and betrayal mixing thickly in his blood. Seth prided himself on not letting things affect him, especially in the business, but that night, in a bone-chilling little town in Rhode Island, it was all just...so much.

He jumped as a hand clamped down on his shoulder, the grizzled yet neatly trimmed beard of Triple H, one of Seth's most cherished mentors and friends, checking on him. Triple H had been there with him, with the SHIELD, since day one, and he was one of their biggest fans. He was there when it was time for them to go their separate ways, when each of them won their own titles, and when they came back together after so long. Triple H, Hunter to the boys backstage, was a brother as much as Dean and Roman were, and it was obvious by the glisten in his eyes and the somber set to his mouth that he was feeling the new just as much as Seth.

Well, maybe not _quite_ as much, but close enough to understand Seth's predicament. 

See, the locker room all loved and cherished Roman, and Seth knew the fans were the same (albeit deep deep down for some of them), but none of them were nearly as close, as personally affected, as Dean and Seth. Roman's news, that he was going to have to vacate the Universal Title because he was battling cancer and would be gone for a while, had hit the locker room square in the chest, the shock backstage palpable as everyone watched on the monitors. Seth had looked over to Dean, the same shock and sadness written all over his face and Roman continued talking, trying to stay positive and reassure the fans that he would come home, but Seth and Dean knew the risks, the dangers, that Roman would be facing once he left that night.

The tears had started the moment they had pushed through the curtains to join Roman on stage. Seth had never cried so hard on television, but sometimes you couldn't stop it.

“I know this isn't easy for you, Seth, and I'm so sorry. If you need anything, you let me know. 'Kay?” Seth nodded, allowing Hunter to tug him into a tight embrace as equipment carts and bustling producers moved all around them, hurrying to clear out the arena so everyone could get back to the hotel and rest for the next day. Because life moved on, no matter how much you wished it wouldn't.

Roman wouldn't like Seth thinking that way, anyway, so he pulled away from Hunter and offered a brave face and a watery smile. He could be strong for Roman. He could hold himself together and keep on being the best superstar he could possibly be, because that was what Roman would want him to do; it's what Roman would do himself if he wasn't ill.

His heart ached, but he forced his feet to move from the backstage area they had planted themselves after his match and subsequent beating he had received from Dean. That was another thing he was having to deal with. 

On top of the Roman thing, Dean and Seth had won the Tag Team titles from Dolph and Drew, after so long of fighting them and nearly destroying the brotherhood they had fought so hard for, and then Dean had decided that enough was enough. Seth was basically blindsided with the ambush, their titles scattered across the ring as Dean unleashed his pent-up anger, resentment, and disgust on Seth's battered body. It was hard holding in the tears once again, and towards the end, he just couldn't do it, but then neither could Dean, tears and explicit words raining down on him as his flesh met concrete. 

It was one of the more trying times in his job. More so than when he had injured his knee and had to miss WrestleMania.

So he was faced with devastation at Roman's situation and betrayal with Dean. Basically, it was a really hard day for the SHIELD, Seth being the one left beaten and broken on the ground after the red light flickered off and the crowd filtered out, having gotten what they paid for. Sometimes they didn't know what Seth and the others went through for them, and most nights it was worth it, but that night? Seth just wasn't sure.

He found his Intercontinental title folded neatly on his gym bag, the white leather glowing under the backstage lights, and touched it gently with shaking fingers. The red tag team titles were piled next to his things, someone having carelessly dropped them there as an afterthought, or maybe in a hurry to finish packing things, but his Intercontinental Title had been nicely placed.

He liked to think it was a final nice gesture by Dean or something, but he figured it was either one of the commentators, or possibly one of his opponents for the evening, Dolph or Drew. He sat on the ground by his things, all the belts in his lap, and stared up at the ceiling. The past few months had been a roller coaster of emotions. Dean's injury and triumphant return, Roman falling ill to the mumps and Kurt Angle filling in, winning the tag team titles twice (now three times), winning the Intercontinental title, having their first pay-per-view in Australia...

Seth drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes, letting the adventures of the past year settle over him. He needed to soak it in right there, just for a moment, and then he could move on.

“Hey, man. Figured you'd be here.” He popped open an eye to see Dolph Ziggler, adversary and occasional friend, standing there, dressed in his street clothes and snapping his gum like the asshole he was. His face was incredibly sympathetic, though, and he didn't seem like he was in a mood to harass Seth, so he didn't immediately snap at the blonde to leave him alone.

“Hey. Great match tonight. You two know how to bring the house down.” Dolph only nodded, moving to sit beside Seth and stretching his legs out in front of him slowly.

“I'm really sorry about Roman, man. It's obviously really hard for him, but I know it must be tearing you up inside. Are you okay?” Seth dropped his chin, fingers idly messing with the belts in his lap, and released a deep sigh.

“Not really, but I need to be, y'know? Like, he would want me to stay strong and keep fighting. Keep the show going till he comes back. I mean, he did the same for me when my knee blew out, right? I can do this.” Tears trickled down his cheek, and though he tried to sound confident in himself and in what Roman would want, he knew he wasn't strong enough. Not like Roman.

“I believe in you, and I know he does too. Look, I gotta go, but if you need anything you let me know. We may be enemies in that ring, but this isn't a journey people travel alone. You've got a large family here, Seth. We're here for you, as well as Roman.” Seth nodded, dropping his head so Dolph wouldn't see the way tears poured from his eyes again. It was bad enough on stage with Roman and Dean.

After he'd cried silently for a while, staring down at the blurred titles, he finally rose to his feet, tossed the titles over his shoulder, and headed for the locker room. When he got there, Dean was sitting on the bench by the rest of Seth's things, a phone in his hand, with his head bowed. Seth tensed up, not sure what Dean was doing there with his things instead of on a bus or in a rental car like everyone else.

“Dean?” The other man didn't look up, didn't move, and Seth thought maybe he hadn't heard him, but then he spoke.

“Ro called. Wanted to talk to you, of course. You were always his favorite, I'm sure now more than ever. Told me to look after you. I don't think he has seen the rest of RAW yet. Here.” He held out Seth's phone, and when Seth took it, he got up, looked Seth in the eye, and left the locker room. Everything with Dean was so weird now, but he could deal with that later. Roman had called looking for him, and that was the most important thing in that moment.

After the phone rang two times, it picked up, Roman's face popping up on the screen and breaking Seth's heart into little pieces all over again. He looked so much the same, smiling and trying to get Seth to laugh, but there was a weariness to his features Seth hadn't thought much of before, and he noticed for the first time that Roman's usually warm and bright brown eyes were dull. He almost looked older, definitely more tired than usual, and Seth was more worried about him than he was before.

The call, seeing Roman's washed-out face in real time, made it all the more real that this man, his brother, friend, and partner in life was battling something only he could handle. There was nothing Seth could do except offer his positive thoughts and well wishes, and he hated being so powerless. Roman was his rock, and without him, he felt like he was floating in nothingness. 

“Come on, Seth. Don't go moody on me. You aren't supposed to make a man in my condition so sad.” Seth glared at the tiny face as much as he could without actually being in front of him, and he hated that he had to be at work instead of by Roman's side, holding his hand through all the tests and treatments, but he knew Roman would just worry over him being there instead of in the ring, and he knew Roman would be watching RAW every Monday night waiting to see what his boys were up to.

Seth wasn't sure what Roman would do when he saw what Dean had done, but he supposed he'd just shake his head and mutter something about that “damn Ambrose”.

“Don't say that, Ro. And anyway, this isn't easy for me. Why didn't you tell me before? Why didn't you tell any of us? Being blindsided like that, especially by you...” Roman hushed him, and damn him for not being there to do it in person like he usually did. Damn him for getting sick again and leaving Seth all on his own. Damn him for being so selfish that he couldn't just tell Seth this might be a possibility; that he might have a relapse with his leukemia. Seth was so angry, so frustrated, and so upset.

“Hey, come on now Sethie. Don't do this. Please, hey. Don't cry. Talk to me, babe. Let's talk about this.” Seth took a deep breath, his body shuddering as he began crying once again. He hadn't cried this much since.....well, since he tore his knee. Roman was watching him through the phone, wearing a hospital gown and deathly pale under the hospital lights, and Seth just couldn't stand it anymore. He needed some time on his own to process things, so no matter how happy he was to see Roman and hear his voice, he needed to get on with his night so he could crash in a hotel bed and fight through the week.

“Roman, hey, I love you uce, but I gotta go. It's been a really long night. I miss you. Love ya.” Roman's eyes shone with understanding, and with a quiet “love you too.”, he was gone. Seth packed up his things, tugged on the shirt he'd been wearing before, and trekked out to his car in the chilly night. Other than Vince and a few producers, Seth was the last one to leave the building. Vince met his eyes and nodded slowly to him before turning back to the writers and producers, and Seth finally made it to his car.

He gazed up at the starry sky and sighed for the millionth time that night. He knew everything would be okay, that Roman would be back soon and Dean would figure himself out, but it seemed like a lifetime away from that moment. Seth felt alone, stranded, and he hated that feeling more than anything, which was why he was so angry underneath all the pain and tears. 

Hopefully, when the sun rose up again the next day, things wouldn't look so dark.

**Author's Note:**

> #ThankYouRoman <3
> 
> **If you have any prompts/parings you would like to suggest, please share! I love taking on writing challenges! :)**
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
